The Colleges Collaboration Fund (CCF) was managed by the National Business Initiative (NBI) and was established to support the transformation of the technical college sector in line with the vision of White Paper 4 of 1998.
During the five years of its operation (1999 – 2004), the CCF supported the National Department of Education and contributed to the transformation of the further education and training (FET) colleges sector. Part of its legacy is the assistance it gave to government to define the agenda for the continued development of the sector.
Through the work of the CCF, an impressive body of knowledge, data and publications has been created. This has not only informed the transformation process thus far, but also provides the financial and management information necessary for the future governance of the sector.
The CCF ensured that the research focussed on the key areas of policy implementation as highlighted by the National Department of Education and encouraged the active participation of all stakeholders through a mechanism of reference groups and provincial conferences. In this way policy makers and stakeholders alike developed a common understanding of the transformative challenges facing the FET colleges sector, took ownership of the data, gained a shared knowledge base, and began to frame an intellectual discourse around FET issues and challenges.
The research work was not principally academic in nature or purpose, but was designed to inform the National Department of Education's planning process. It provided a knowledge base for provinces and FET colleges to develop strategic plans, improve the quality of decision-making, and inform the management of implementation. The concept of ‘knowledge for use’ was devised to ensure that data were presented in a user-friendly, accessible format, including guidance on how information might be used in the preparation of strategic plans by colleges and provinces. This ‘signposting’ on how to use and weigh information, together with the development of manuals on processes and procedures, demonstrated the CCF's prime purpose to provide practical support to provincial officials and college staff.
The research was able to support policy implementation by remaining objective and independent of the national and provincial education departments and colleges. A key feature of the process was the ongoing dialogue that the CCF conducted with all relevant stakeholders. This enabled the research reports to highlight issues of concern and areas of strength whilst simultaneously ensuring that key policy aspects were addressed.
Download the Summative Evaluation of the Colleges Collaboration Fund here. (1.4MB)